—Article by HG Kalakantha Das–
To see the Lord being carried by the bulls,Taraka and Paraka, was an unforgettable experience. According to ancient sacred texts, they are Dharma personified, in this case assuming the form of Kankrej bulls, members of a noble lineage. From ancient Indian archaeologists, we find records of these majestic bovines being displayed in the artwork of the Indus Valley civilization for their incredible beauty, distinguished b y their unique large sculpted horns.
It is said their horns have an effect on cooling their system as they serve as extensions of their bodies. The bulls have many functions in the blueprint of the universe and this is just one more of their distinguishing features.
A 20th century scientist of the Vedas, Rudolf Steiner, who applied his findings to many
fields, including agriculture with the bio dynamic system, stated that there are subtle
channels in the bovines connecting their horns and stomachs, and from that premise he developed a unique fertilizer. He recommends burying the horns of deceased bovines filled with cow dung to produce a fertilizer that potentialize the soil many folds. Here, the earth and bovines are also linked. Some say there is a great symmetry between the microorganisms present in the rumen of bovines, in human intestines and on the earth, creating a continuum of health. This once again proves the connection of bovines to human civilization.
This auspicious procession was designed to carry Their Lordships from Their present
residence to Their glorious new home, the temple of the Vedic Planetarium. The TOVP is a majestic offering to the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a temple that will broadcast His mission and the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra to every town and village in the world.
As a global representative of agriculture and the cows and bulls, I was invited to sit on the
majestically-carved wooden bullock cart carrying Their Lordships. It is said that when the cows and bulls are in a happy mood it is to be understood that a community is entering
prosperity. A classic Indian scripture states as follows:
namobrahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca jagad-dhitāyakṛṣṇāya govindāyanamonamaḥ
“Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the worshipable Deity for all
brahminical men, who is the well-wisher of cows and brāhmaṇas, and who is always
benefiting the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead,
known as Kṛṣṇa and Govinda.”
---[ViṣṇuPurāṇa 1.19.65]---
For a perfect human society, there must be the protection of go-dvija – the cows and the brahmaṇas.
In anticipation of this very auspicious moment, the residents of Sri Mayapur Dham
and many others, who came on pilgrimage to witness this unique moment, stationed themselves in every available space on each and every floor of the surrounding buildings.
The Brahmanas apprentices and their teachers led the procession chanting Vedic Hymns to please and attract the Supreme Lord. They were followed by loud drums announcing the passage of the Deities. The Brahmanas, with their turbans and beautiful decorations, spread a feeling of freshness andtranscendental bliss in the whole atmosphere. The citizens, elated by the transcendental picture in front of them, threw an incessant flow of flowers and petals onto Their Lordships and on the bulls as a sign of their ecstasy.
All of a sudden the meaning of this frequently recited mantra “namobrahmaṇya-devāya” was revealed to me. There, right in front of my eyes, there was a shower of transcendental response from the devotees to the presence of the Lord, the bulls and the Brahmanas. It was
very clear to everyone that some kind of magic was operating even though not all could ascertain its precise origin.
The impact of this moment penetrated deep into my heart.I feel the time is ripe and extremely conducive to engaging the bulls in the service of the Lord and activating Dharma in our lives.
Therefore, for the year 2022, The Ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture is launching
the theme “Dharma and Agroecology in the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu} for the
farm conference cycle. There will be many seminars, workshops, and conferences on this
topic. This knowledge has the purpose of revealing the pathway to abundance. For more
information, please visit the ministry website, https://mcpa.iskcon.org
